Tobacco

“The Carirí Indians had implored the Grandfather to let them try the flesh of wild pigs, which didn’t yet exist. The Greandfather, architect of the Universe, kidnapped the little children of the Carirís and turned them into wild pigs. He created a big tree so that they could escape into the sky.
The people pursued the pigs up the tree from branch to branch and managed to kill a few. The Grandfather ordered the ants to bring down the tree. When it fell, the people suffered broken bones. Ever since that great fall, we all have divided bones and so are able to bend our fingers and legs or tilt our bodies.
With the dead boars a great banquet was made in the village.
The people besought the Grandfather to come down from the sky, where he was minding the children saved from the hunt, but he preferred to stay up there.
The Grandfather sent tobacco to take his place among men. Smoking, the people talked with God.”

CREATION MYTH, taken from Memory of Fire, Eduardo Galeano

I don’t smoke, and I never have, but I love this story of the creation of tobacco (even if they end up eating their own children!). If I was to smoke, I would like to use tobacco in this ‘ritual’ way[1], lost in the forest somewhere communicating with God through burnt leaves.

I dislike however, the role of tobacco in our society - successively conditioned into us that it is ‘cool’ through manipulation by the advertising $$$ of massive Corporations. Commercial tobacco is chemically treated and smells like shit (comparing it to ‘real’ tobacco - somewhat analogous to the ‘Star Bucks’ version of real coffee), I really never understand why people smoke this crap[2] (well, apart from that the nicotine is addictive…) Those massive Corporation, who actively seek to misinform and damage (Inter)national health regulation regarding tobacco use, have managed to convince the US Government to disrupt the new WHO treaty on Tobacco. Yet another example of how the Bush administration is for sale to the highest bidder, in this case Phillip Morris who was the largest corporate contributor to the Republican party.

[1] I know it is ‘orientalist’ and romantic, but, well, you know…
[2] I think everyone should have the right to smoke however, unless it infringes on my right to not be affected by it!

Posted by Ian at May 3, 2003 12:53 PM | TrackBack §